Variable-pitch propeller



April 27 1926. 1,582,166

N. H. CEDE RQUIST "VARIABLE PITCH \PROPELLER Original Filed August 21. 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS/ INVENTOK -/V/'/s Her/27m Cearya/bv. W W 77% v N. H. CEDERQUlsT VARIABLE PITCH PROPELLER A ril 27 ,1926. 1,582,166

Original Filed gust 21. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. /V// firmm @9705) 8y m M 22% A TTORNEYS.

A ril 27 1926. 1,582,166 N. H. CEDERQUIST VARIABLE PITCH PROPELLER o i i l Filed August 21 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 13 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 27, 19 26. UNITED STATES 1,582,166 PATENT OFFICE.

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Application fled August'21, 1922, Serial No. 583,221. Renewed September 22, 1925.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, N1Ls HERMAN CnnEa- 'QUIST, a citizen of the United States, residin at Alhambra, in the county of Los Ange es and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Variable-Pitch Propeller, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a propeller wherein the blades may be adjusted about ing these conditions, the extentof the field necessary for starting and landing is materially decreased. During flight,'there may be various events which make variation in the pitch of the propeller desirable.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a propeller of the character de-v scribed having blades rotatable to vary the pitch, together with mechanism to efi'ect such variations, which mechanism is sensitive, may be operated by a comparatively small movement of the control, is susceptible to initial inde endent adjustment of the blades, is dura le, simple and strong in structure.

These objects, together with other objects, and corresponding accomplishments, are obtained by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, in which:

Fig. 1, is a pers ective view showing the propeller connects .to an engine: Fig. 2. is a fragmentaryplan view partly in section of the hub and associated-mechanism; Fig. 3, is a section as seen on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, is a section as seen on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, is a section as seen on line 55 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, is an enlarged fragmentary view of a detail of the structure shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7, is a perspective view of the ad ustment arm; an Fig. 8, is a fragmentary erspective view of an adjustment rod. Re erring more particularly to Fig. 1, an aeroplane engine, which may be of any suitable type, is lndicated by A. Connected to the engine shaft is improved pro eller B, the connect on being made throu o e irtmg mechanism indicated genera y lgy drive shaft 11 by any suitable means.

this case the shaft is tapered and threaded at the end. The sleeve is-forced. on the shaft by means of a nut 12 having an internal thread engaging the shaft and an external thread engagin internal threads on the sleeve. Mounte -over the sleeve and ell. gaging shoulders formed thereon, is a cylindrical socket member for the blades ludicated by 14. A nut 15 mounted upon the sleeve 10, holds the socket member in position. The socket member comprises two diametrically opposed blade sockets of like construction.- At the bottom of each blade socket is a plate 16 with a pintle 17 at the center thereof. Near the outerend of each blade socket the internal diameter is increased and the outer end is internallyv threaded. Extending circumferentially of each blade socket is a slot to permit movement ofthe adjustment arm later described.

Disposed within each blade socketis the shank of a propeller blade indicated by 18. u The propeller blade shown may be of the usual type, that is,'the material thereof is of wood. The shanks are mounted in metallic ferrules 19. Formed on each ferrule is an external shoulder 20 serving as a seat'for a ball bearing indicated by 21. The bearin is held in position b means of an interna nut 22 mounted within the socket. Extending transversely through each ferrule and shank is an opening to receive a bushing 23 for the ad ustment arm. The 0 ening in the ferrule in one side is of'larger 'ameter than'the other and both .0 enings are' threaded. The opening throng the shank of the impeller blade is counterbored, the counter ore being of the same diameter as the large opening in the ferrule and registering therewith. The bushing 23 corresponds in shape to the opening through the ferrule and shank but.has an enlargement at one and corresponding to the counterbore. Both ends of the bushing are threaded so that the bushing may be adjusted longitudinal of itself in the shank of the propeller blade as best shown in Fig. 6. In the bushing 23 is an adjustment arm comprising a shank 24 threaded at one end and having an enlarged arcuate end 25 which is shouldered and pro- Thehub comprises a sleeve 10 fixed to the ,fvided with a way26: Holding the adjustment arm in position in the bushing is a nut 27.

in detail to, the drawing,- slide bearings are mounted on the socket 14. Ad ustment rods 29 are mounted to slide in the bearings.

The rods are fixed to a strap 30, which is rotatably mounted upon a ring31, by a suit abl'e ball bearing. The rin 31 isso mounted that it maybe moved axia y of the shaft 11 Adjacent the ring 31 and on the rods 29 are pins 32'. Pivotally mounted upon the pins are shoes 33 shownin Fig. 7. The shoes are arran d to slide in the ways 26. Holding the a justment arms-and rods in position are straps 34. Thus, movement of the ring 31 along the shaft will cause a movement of rods 29 and a swinging movement of the adjustment arm as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. Such .a movement by my construction can rotate the blades through substantially de ees. This is sufficient to reverse the pitch. eretofore, variable pitch propeller blades, such as have been sufliciently strong to be used practically, have not had a structure whereby a complete reversal could be effected.

The ring 31 has a three point s upon screws 35. These screws pass nsion ough threaded openings in the ring and are rotatably mounted between the'flan s of the sleeve 36, which is fixed to theengme frame or fuselage means of legs 37 Rotatably mounted on the sleeve 36 is a gear 38 Gear 38 has external sprocket teeth and internal gear teeth. The internal gear teeth mesh with pinions 39 fixed to the screws 35. Thus, by rotating the gear 38 the screws 35 are rotated, and the ring 31 moved alon the shaft. This causesmovement of the adjust.- ment rods and the consequent movement of the adjustment arms. The ultimate result is that thepropeller blades are turnedto change the pltc Referring: more particularly to Fig. 1, a chain 40 is shown passing over the sprocket gear 38 to the sprocket .wheel 41. The sprocket wheel 41 is fixed to a shaft 42 which leads to the "control movement disposed in thefuselage convenient for operation b the pilot. It is obvious that rotation o the shaft 41 will transmit motionto the propeller blades and the latter will be turned an amount corresponding to the amount of. retation of the shaft. This adjustment may be instantaneously accomplished during the operation of the propeller. When the pr peller isinstalled, it may be found that by reason of the relation of the parts of the mechanism, a slight adjustment 'of'the pitch of one blade with respect to the other is necessary in order to properly balance the plished b adjusting the bushings in the .propeller Iades. A wrench to take hold of the bushings at the counterbore, or any other suitable means for convenient adjustment, may be provided. a

What I claim is:

1. In a propeller,'the combination of a hub having blade socketsfpro 'eller blades rotatably mounted in said soc ets, adjust ment arms -mounted on said blades at the hub extending la rally of said blades,-

themselves may be varied, adjustment armsmounted in said bushings and having heads abutting said shoulders whereby adjustment of a bushing will vary the extension of the corresponding arm, and an adjustment carriage movable. axially of the hub connected to said arms to swingthe latter and vary the pitch.

. 3. In a propeller, the combination of a hub having blade sockets, propeller blades rotatably mounted in said sockets, adjust- -ment arms extending laterally from said blades at the hub, said arms having ways, and an adjustment carriage movable axially ofthe hub having slide members mounted in said ways whereby movement of said carrlage will swing said arms. and vary the pitch. I a

4. In a propeller, the combination of a hub having, blade sockets, propellerblades rotatably mounted in sand sockets, bushings extendin laterally through the shanks of said bla es, each of said bushings having an internal shoulder at one of its ends and being secured in said blade so that its posit1on longitudinal of itself may be varied, ad-

an internal shoulder at one of justment arms mounted in said bushings and havin heads abuttin said shoulders whereby ad ustment of a ushing will vary" the extension of the corresponding arm, said arms having ways, and an ad'ustment carriage movable axially of the ub and havslide members mountedin said we s i wEereby movement of said carriage Wlll swi said arms and vary the pitch.

5. a propeller, the combination of a hub having blade sockets, propeller blades rotatably mounted in said sockets, bushings extendin laterally through the shanks of said bla es, each of said bushings having an internal shoulder atone of its ends and betion longitudinal of itself may be varied,

adjustment arms mounted in said bushings and havin head's abutting said shoulders whereby a justment of a bushing will vary the extension of the corresponding arm said arms having ways, rods movable axially of the hub and havin slide members mounted in said ways where fiy movement of said rods will swing said arms and vary the pitch, and operating means mounted on the shaft of the propeller to move-said rods in unison.

6. A device as specified in-claim --5, characterized by the operating means comprising a. frame movable axially of the propeller shaft, the rods being fixed tosaid frame, said frame having a plurality of'threaded openings, rotatable screws'mounted in 'said openings, and means to rotate said screws in unison whereby said frame is moved axially of said shaftand the varied. j

7. A device as specified in claim 1, characterized b the adjustment carriage comprising ro s connected to the adj; stment arms, a frame movable axially of t- 1e propeller shaft, said rods being fixedito said frame, said frame havin a plurality .of threaded openings, rotatab e screws in said openings, pinions fixed to the ends .ofi.said screws, an internal gear meshing with all of said inions, and means to rotate said interna gear.

8. A device as specified in claim 2, char-' acterized by the adjustment carriage comprising rods connected to the adjustment arms, a frame movable axially ofthe prof peller shaft, said rods being fixed to said frame, .said frame having a plurality of threaded openings, rotatable screws in said pitch of the propeller openings, pinions fixed to the ends of said screws, an internal gear meshing with all of said pinions, and means to rotate said internal gear.

9. A device as specified in claim 3, characterized by the adjustment carriage comprising rods connected to the adjustment arms, a frame movable axially of the propeller shaft, the rods being fixed to said frame, said frame having a plurality of th'readed openings, rotatable screws in said openings, pinions fixed to the ends of said of said pinions, and means to rotate said internal gear.

10. A device as s ecified in claim 4, characterized b the a justment carriage comprising ro s connected to the adjustment arms, a frame movable axially ofthe pro peller shaft, said rods being fixed to said screws, an internal gear meshing with all frame, said frame having a plurality--of threaded openings, rotatable screws in said openings, pinions fixed to the ends of said screws, an internal gear meshing with all of said pinions, and means to rotate said mtern'al gear.

'11. A device as specified in claim- 7, characterized by the operating means comprising a frame movable axiall of the propeller shaft, therods being fixe to said frame, said frame having a. plurality of threaded openings, rotatable screws in'said openings, pinions fixed to the ends of said screws, an internal gear meshing with all of said pinions,

and means to rotate said internal gear.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 8th day of August, 1922.

NILS HERMAN CEDERQUIST. 

